Abstract

PRATO, Andrés I.  and  GOMEZ, Manuel Iván. Foliar and soil application of manganese in spinach (Spinacia oleraceae L.) grown in a vermicompost substrate. rev.colomb.cienc.hortic. [online]. 2014, vol.8, n.2, pp.262-271. ISSN 2011-2173.

In the organic farming of vegetables, the use of vermicompost-based substrates is an alternative with increasing acceptance. Efficient fertilization with manganese (Mn) requires different agricultural management variables given the complex variables of absorption and availability of this micronutrient in the soil. New fertilizer products must be studied extensively. The effects of Mn fertilization on spinach were evaluated under greenhouse conditions using two sources -sulfate and gluconate- in liquid foliar and soil applications at a concentration of 50 mg L^-1 (1.5 kg ha^-1) and without the application of this micronutrient. The fertilization was separated into ten applications. Fifteen days after germination, seedlings were transplanted into 2 L pots filled with a vermicompost substrate. Starting at 12 days after the beginning of the treatment, the plants showed effects that depended on the source and method of the application for the aerial dry mass and leaf area. By the end of the study period, the edaphic source of MnSO₄ presented the best response with a higher dry matter, number of leaves and plant height when compared to the control plants, higher by 86.7, 56.8 and 28.0%, respectively. Both of the foliar and soil applications of Mn gluconate resulted in similar values, without symptoms of toxicity for the employed dose. This product could become a feasible option for Mn fertilization in spinach.

Keywords : complex micronutrient; fertilization; dry mass; plant height.

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